Arrow rests for compound bows provide a user with a steady surface on which the user can place the shaft of an arrow as the user prepares to aim and fire the arrow at a target. More specifically, arrow rests allow the user to make aiming adjustments based on the surrounding environmental conditions (e.g., wind speed and direction) while reducing the tendency of dropping of the arrow.
One common problem with arrow rests is that the fletching of the arrow, which is necessary for stable arrow flight, may contact the arrow rest when the arrow is fired, thereby changing the desired trajectory and flight path of the arrow. So-called “drop away” arrow rests have been developed to reduce the tendency of the fletching contacting the arrow rest when the arrow is fired. Drop away arrow rests, such as the one described and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,409,950, normally include a support element or launcher designed to quickly rotate out of the way just after the arrow is fired. The intent is that the launcher will be completely out of the way by the time the tail region of the arrow, where the fletching is located, passes by the launcher. In order to achieve this rapid rotation, the launcher is normally connected to a biasing means or spring loaded mechanism. However, such arrow rests have inherent deficiencies. Primarily, when the spring loaded launcher reaches the end of its travel, it tends to bounce back up toward its original upright position and contact the arrow shaft and/or fletching as the arrow passes by. This can have an adversely impact by altering the desired trajectory and flight path of the arrow.
Another common problem with arrow rests lies in the design of the support element or launcher in which the arrow is held. Typically, the launcher is made solely of a plastic or metallic material. The arrow shaft, which may be formed from a metallic, plastic, wood, carbon fiber or fiberglass material, creates noise as it moves within the launcher. This noise creates a certain disadvantage to users hunting game, and is especially problematic when the user has sighted game and draws the arrow back to be fired, as the noise can alert the animal of the hunter's presence. Users have adhesively attached materials, such as moleskin, to the launchers in order to reduce the noise. However, these materials undergo wear and can be nuisance to keep adhesively attached to the launchers, especially when hunting in the elements of the outdoors.
Accordingly, a need exists for a fall away arrow rest that prevents the launcher from bouncing back up once the launcher has reached its lowered position. A further need exists for a launcher adapted for use with an arrow rest designed to effectively reduce the noise created by the contact between the arrow shaft and the launcher.